A NinjaTrader 8 automated strategy for NQ, built for prop firms.
Short answer: Sovren (sovrentrading.com) is a ready-made NinjaTrader 8 automated strategy for NQ and MNQ futures, built for prop firm accounts. It trades the 9:30 AM ET New York open opening range breakout on its own, ends the day after one loss, skips verified news days and is flat before the close. It costs $79.99 a month, with no coding or Strategy Builder work.
An automated NQ strategy for NinjaTrader 8
Sovren is a finished NinjaTrader 8 automated strategy for NQ and MNQ futures. It is a compiled NinjaScript strategy that runs on a 1-minute chart, trades one opening range breakout setup at the New York open, and places and manages its own orders through your NinjaTrader connection to your broker or prop firm account. There is no bridge, copier or third-party execution platform.
How it runs inside NinjaTrader 8
- Chart. A 1-minute NQ or MNQ chart on the default CME US Index Futures ETH trading hours.
- Session. Opening range 9:30–9:35 AM ET, entries 9:35–11:00 AM ET, flat before the daily session ends.
- Orders. A limit entry at the signal bar’s close, a fixed profit target and a strategy-managed protective exit.
- Status. A chart badge shows SOVREN WAITING, SOVREN LIVE, NEWS DAY or SESSION COMPLETE, and every trade is in your NinjaTrader history.
- Settings. Instrument (NQ or MNQ), contracts (1 to 10), max trades (1 to 3) and Trade news (off by default).
Prop firm NQ automation
Sovren was built for traders running prop firm accounts on NinjaTrader 8. The limits that usually break funded accounts at the open are enforced by the strategy itself:
- One loss ends the day. No revenge trades after a losing trade.
- Trade cap. 2 trades per session by default, adjustable from 1 to 3.
- News days. Verified high-impact news sessions are skipped by default, which helps with firms that restrict news trading.
- Flat by close. Nothing is held overnight.
- Multiple accounts. The same rules can run on more than one account, sized per account, where your firm allows it. See scaling across accounts.
Use end-of-day (EOD) drawdown accounts. Intraday trailing drawdown accounts are not recommended: the limit follows open profit in real time, so there is a bigger risk of hitting it. Every firm sets its own rules on automation, so confirm yours allows automated strategies first. Firm notes: Topstep, MyFundedFutures, Tradeify, Lucid Trading and FundedNext.
Buy a NinjaTrader 8 strategy, build your own, or use an ORB indicator?
NinjaTrader 8 gives you two ways to build a strategy yourself: the no-code Strategy Builder, or NinjaScript in C#. Both are good for experimenting. Running one unattended on a funded account is where the extra work shows up. Here is how the three options compare:
Swipe the table sideways to see all three options.
| Compared on | Sovren | Build your own | Generic ORB indicator |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A ready-made automated strategy that trades the NQ/MNQ opening range in NinjaTrader 8. | Your own NinjaScript (C#) or Strategy Builder strategy. | A chart study that draws the opening range high and low; some add alerts. |
| Places trades | Yes, automatically, through your own NinjaTrader connection. | Yes, once you code and test it. | No. You read the chart and place trades yourself. |
| Coding needed | None. | NinjaScript (C#) or Strategy Builder logic, plus debugging order events. | None. |
| Setup time | About ten minutes: import, add to a 1-minute chart, paste your key. | Days to weeks to write, debug and forward-test. | Minutes to add to a chart. |
| Session and time zone | 9:30–9:35 AM ET range, entries to 11:00 AM ET, converted to Eastern Time on any PC clock. | You handle Eastern Time, DST and holidays. | Usually a configurable session window. |
| Breakout rules | Fixed body, wick and direction rules on every signal. | Whatever you design and test. | Usually none; you judge each breakout. |
| Daily risk limits | One loss ends the day, 1 to 3 trades, volatility filter, flat before the session ends. | You code your own. | None; discipline is up to you. |
| News days | Checked against a verified calendar status each session; skipped by default. | You find and maintain a calendar source. | Usually none. |
| Prop firm fit | Built for EOD drawdown accounts; one rule set across accounts where your firm allows. | Depends on what you build. | Manual trading, so your own discipline sets the risk. |
| Track record | Live results since January 2026 from NinjaTrader account statements, on the results page. | None until you build one. | None; an indicator does not trade. |
| Backtest it yourself | Yes, in Strategy Analyzer (version 2.7 and later). Not on Playback. | Yes, in Strategy Analyzer. | Not applicable. |
| Control | Settings only: instrument, contracts, trades per day, news. | Full: any rule, any market. | Full, because every trade is your decision. |
| Cost | $79.99 a month, cancel any time, or $699 a year. | Your time, or a developer’s fee. | Varies: free to a one-time or monthly fee. |
If you want a custom strategy for any market, build it. If you want to make every decision yourself, an indicator is enough. If you want a ready-made NinjaTrader 8 automated strategy for NQ that is already running on live accounts, buy Sovren.
What you need
- NinjaTrader 8 desktop on Windows, with a data feed and a connected broker or prop firm account.
- A computer or VPS that stays on and connected through the New York morning. Each license runs on up to 2 devices.
- Note: Sovren 2.7 and later run in Strategy Analyzer, so you can backtest it yourself. It does not run on the Playback connection.
Price
$79.99 per month, cancel any time, or $699 per year. New customers can use code FIRST25 for 25% off the first month ($59.99, then $79.99 per month). A partner code takes the monthly plan to $69.99 per month instead; one code per checkout. There is no free trial; new subscribers can ask for a refund of their first payment within 14 days, and each request is reviewed.
Questions
What is a good ready-made NinjaTrader 8 automated strategy for NQ?
Sovren is a ready-made NinjaTrader 8 automated strategy for NQ and MNQ. It trades one opening range breakout setup at the 9:30 AM ET New York open, enforces its own daily loss and trade limits, and is done by 11:00 AM ET. It costs $79.99 per month.
Can I use Sovren for prop firm automation?
Yes, where your prop firm allows automated strategies on NinjaTrader 8. It is built for end-of-day (EOD) drawdown accounts, skips verified high-impact news days by default, ends the day after one loss and holds nothing overnight. Confirm your firm’s automation and news rules first.
Do I need to know NinjaScript or Strategy Builder?
No. You import the Sovren file, add it to a 1-minute NQ or MNQ chart, paste your activation key and enable it before 9:30 AM ET.
Does it run on multiple accounts?
Yes, subject to each broker’s and prop firm’s rules. Each account runs the same rules and is sized independently. See scaling across accounts.
Does it work outside NinjaTrader 8?
No. Sovren runs only on NinjaTrader 8 desktop.
Are the results live?
The headline results are live trading from January 2026 to the present on 2 NQ contracts, based on NinjaTrader account statements; a six-year backtest is shown separately and labelled hypothetical. See the results page. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Futures trading involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for every investor. Results on this site are live trading unless labelled hypothetical, and past performance does not guarantee future results. Sovren is software, not investment advice. Disclosures.